Module 2: Enhance Communication and Collaboration

Being a leader has never been more challenging than it is today. To navigate their way through these turbulent times, leaders need to be able to deeply connect at a human level with their teams.

But even though they may have a specific intention, the way they communicate may result in the other person receiving a different perception which of course then forms their reality. And the leader will wonder why they aren’t making the impact they wanted.

The 4 Lumina Spark principles, when applied using the 24 quality Lumina Spark personality model, significantly helps leaders close the leadership gap that exists between their intentions and the actual impact they have.

Read the full article here

The Lumina Spark Portrait is very rich and detailed, covering 24 individual leadership qualities. These can be blended together to form the 8 aspects, and then the four color archetypes.

Although we are a blend of all colors, having an innate understanding of each archetype is hugely beneficial, and helps you to quickly read someone’s preferred style, allowing you to flex your approach to better connect with them and build trust.

In this short video, Hugh Minchintin, from Lumina Learning, explains the four color archetypes including the cultural and historic meaning of each color.

Relationships are like a dance, and with any dance there are a number of steps to develop and strengthen them.

Step 1: Understand yourself

Step 2: Be aware of how others are different/the same

Step 3: Adapt your approach to “meet” them

Step 4: Build trust

Step 5: Strengthen the relationship

We’ve covered Step 1 in Module 1. Now let’s put the spotlight on other people.

To speed read someone else and guess their color preference:

• Notice their body language
• Observe their surroundings and working environment
• Listen to their choice of words and tone of voice
• Notice how they shake hands and greet people

As an example, think of someone you know quite well. What do you think might be their primary and secondary color archetype preferences?

At the foundation of any strong relationship is trust. As humans, we naturally look for cues and signs that reinforce whether we can trust you – or not.

These are different for each person, but it is possible to get a clue by understanding what’s important to each color archetype.

For example, if Sam has a strong Conscientious Blue preference, it means he likes to know the details. So when you speak to him if you skip over all the details then how can he put his faith in you?

Here’s what’s important to each color archetype, and how you can build trust with them.

Now that you have a better understanding of each of the color archetypes – how to spot them and what’s important to them – let’s explore how you can use this insight to adapt and flex your style to better connect, communicate, and build rapport.

Things to consider are:

• what outcome do you hope for?
• what is the impact you want to have?
• what preparation do they need?
• where is the best place to meet them?
• what is the best way to share what you want to communicate?
• how can you get the best out of your time together – for both of you?

Download the Lumina Spark Speed Reading Guide

When communicating with others it helps to take a step back and think about your audience, your key messages, and how you want to come across to make the impression and impact you want.

We have created the A.C.E. Model to help you do this.

Download the A.C.E. Model PDF here

ADAPT to your audeience

• Who is your audience?
• What is important to them?
• What style of presentation works best for them?
• How can you best use the time available with them?
• What is your Call to Action – or your “Ask” of the audience?

CLARIFY your story

• What is your underlying “story”?
• What are the 3 key messages you want to get across?
• What is your open/middle/close?
• What is the level of detail is right for your audience?

ENGAGE hearts & minds

• What is the energy you want to create?
• How do you want your audience to FEEL
• How is your body language, voice, tone, and pace?
• How can you interact with the audience and involve them?

Any group is made up of people with different personalities, knowledge, experiences, intentions, needs, and wants.

Understanding the four color archetypes helps you appreciate the contribution that each person can make to the success of the team.

We will explore this in more detail in Module 4. In the meantime, here are some ways that you can tap into the potential of the group and build a team vibe where each member wants to give their best:

• Have a clear mission and purpose
• Understand each other’s preference
• Co-create group agreements on norms and behaviors
• Let everyone’s voice be heard
• Understand the intention behind each other’s styles
• Work through conflict and tension
• Celebrate your successes

Please write about your thoughts and insights to the following questions. You’ll find these in your Module 2 Learning Journal in MS Teams.

• What were your 3 biggest takeaways from this module?
• What are you going to do differently to have more impact when you’re communicating?
• What are some ways that you can use this insight to improve collaboration?

Complete the following actions and then review your experience and key learnings in your Personal Tracker.

One-to-one conversation.

Select someone that you’re having difficulties with.

• What is causing the tension?
• What do you think their top two preferred color archetypes are?
• When you compare theirs to yours, what might be causing the disconnect?
• How could you adapt your approach to strengthening this relationship?
• Have the conversation!
• What happened and what did you learn?

Communicating to Groups

Think about a presentation or meeting you will have in the coming weeks.

• Work through the A.C.E. Model
• Prepare your approach for maximum impact and influence
• Do the presentation or run the meeting
• What happened?
• What did you learn?

Here is the presentation we used in the live webinar for Module 2:

Download presentation

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